Thursday, May 29, 2003

Gordon Bennett 50th Anniversary Run 1953

The Gordon
Bennett Race of 1903 brought Athy to the notice of an international audience
for what was perhaps the very first time.The race inaugurated by the proprietor of the New York Herald was a
truly international event and one which captured the public’s imagination at a
time when the “horseless carriage” was
still in its infancy.Nowadays it is
difficult to realise the vast scale of the 1903 event which was centered on
what is generally described as the “Athy
Circuit”, even though that same circuit went through parts of Counties
Laois and Carlow as well as of course Co. Kildare.The term “Athy Circuit” arose from the fact
that the Gordon Bennett Race Circuit consisted of two loops which overlapped at
Athy, thereby necessitating two trips through the narrow streets of the South
Kildare town on each complete circuit.

For a
generation or two after the race the Gordon Bennett was still part of the folk
memory, not least on account of the tremendous excitement it created in the
area.Not even the visit of King Edward
to Ireland in July of the same year matched the Gordon Bennett Race for
popularity and excitement.It’s no
wonder the entire Irish nation was captivated by the idea of cars racing over
the public roads around South Kildare and the adjourning counties.After all there was still on the Irish
Statute books a law which required cars travelling on the public road to be
preceded by a man carrying a red flag.Indeed 1903 was the year that requirement was repealed and replaced by a
20 m.p.h. speed limited.

In time
folk memory faded and with the passing of those who had lived through the
events of 1903 the Gordon Bennett Race became an almost forgotten note in the
annals of Irish motoring history.I
first became aware of the Gordon Bennett Race when in 1953, its 50th
Anniversary was celebrated by the Leinster Motor Club.I recall the vintage cars parked in the back
square next to the Abbey when the drivers stopped in Athy for lunch.In my minds eye I can visualise a photograph
taken at the time which subsequently appeared in the local newspapers.As I am writing this I have before me a copy
of the programme produced, for the golden jubilee of the Gordon Bennett
Race.The 1953 event was the sixth
annual Gordon Bennett Race promoted by the Leinster Motor Club and took place
over the original course, but with an eleven o’clock morning start on Saturday
20th June from the Curragh.Fifty years earlier the race had started at Ballyshannon, with the first
car off at seven o’clock on the morning of 2nd July.The 1953 commemoration event had a number of
prizes on offer, including a silver Salver donated by the motor traders of Athy
for the best turned out car and crew to reach the town.Among the veteran cars participating in the
jubilee race of 1953 was a 1903 Benz owned by Charlie Taylor of Forest.The programme notes indicate that Taylor’s
car had been found under a coal dump in 1938 where it had rested for 30 years.I wonder where is that car today?Another entrance was Benny O’Gorman, garage
owner of Crookstown who drove a 1912 Ford.Within a few years Benny would open a new garage on the Carlow road in
Athy where he was to carry on business for many years.

I was
interested to read the advertisements inserted in the 1953 programme by local
businesses.These included, as you might
expect, Shaws, but what about the following two businesses which are now long
gone.Do you remember James Fleming,
carpenter and registered timber merchant who carried on business at the
Sawmills, Chapel Hill orE.T. Mulhall,
Hardware and General Merchant as well as a publican of Barrow Bridge House, who
advertised that his business was established in 1840.The Leinster Arms Hotel was also included,
noting that it had two telephones on the premises, one for visitors, the other
for management.One advertisement
proudly claimed, “You always get the best
in eats at Bradbury’s Restaurant Athy”, while Maxwell’s Garage, motor and
general engineers, then located in Leinster Street carried on business as main
dealers for Volkswagon cars and vans.The remaining advertisements placed by local firms were those of Bryan
Brothers of Commercial House, and Industrial Vehicles (Ireland) Ltd. which held
a Morris car dealership.

A report in
the local newspapers of 20th June 1953 described the scene as the
vintage cars passed.“All along the route cheering crowds gave
the competitors who were dressed in period costumes a hearty welcome.Many of the cars carried lady passengers
whose attire was one of the picturesque features of the colourful calvacade and
notwithstanding the threatening weather the ladies appeared to have enjoyed
their long trip of 80 miles”.Later
in the same newspaper reports we read, “Over
3,000 people gathered at Emily Square, Athy on Saturday to see the 39 old
crocks that halted in the town for a lunch interval during the 80 mile run over
part of the old circuit to mark the golden jubilee of the Gordon Bennett Race
of 1903.Present in the crowd were
several persons who witnessed the famous race won by Jenatzy fifty years
ago.”What a pity that those who
witnessed the 1903 event had not committed their memories of the Gordon Bennett
Race to print.The newspaper report also
referred to the marshalling for the 1953 event, praising Athy Fire Brigade
under Robert Webster and the Knights of Malta under Eamon McCauley.The mention of Bob and Eamon brings back
memories of untroubled days when as a youngster I “sported and played” on the streets of Athy.

I gather
there are plans in hand to celebrate the centenary of the 1903 Gordon Bennett
Race on the weekend of Saturday, 31st May when vintage cars will
once again make their appearance in Emily Square.The town will be in festive mood over that
weekend and I am assured that everyone in Athy will be encouraged to emulate
the fashion style of the drivers and the spectators of one hundred years
ago.I am told the organising committee
are offering a free drink to every person who makes an effort to appear in
period dress, with a special prize going for the best turned out person.Veteran cars will be on show in the back
square throughout 31st May, while a number of 1903 cars will take
part in a time trial over a course at Ardscull before returning to Athy for the
official opening of the Gordon Bennett tourist trail in the late
afternoon.More details will be given
later.

An
announcement will be made shortly concerning a number of musical events that
weekend but it is confirmed that Brendan Lynch, author of “Triumph of the Red Devil”, the definitive history of the 1903
Gordon Bennett Race will give a lecture in the Heritage Centre at 8.00 p.m. on
Saturday evening.The Heritage Centre
will also host a special exhibition of Gordon Bennett memorabilia over that
weekend, and, of course, actual film footage of the 1903 race is currently on
show in the centre.

The 1903
Gordon Bennett Race was the first international race to be held in Ireland or
Britain.It ensured international
recognition for the 700 year old town of Athy and now 100 years later we have a
unique opportunity to celebrate an event which astonished and delighted men and
women of the time.If you would like to
help the organising committee with their plans for the Gordon Bennett weekend,
Frank English or Dave Henshaw would be delighted to hear from you.